MONACO (AP) – Red Bull denied Sergio Perez a chance to compete for victory in Spain in team orders, which left the Mexican star unsettled.
Confident that he will be allowed to compete for victory this season, Perez moved to the Monaco Grand Prix with the disappointing decision of Red Bull in the rearview mirror. Then he achieved his first victory in Formula 1 of the season.
Perez withdrew from the orders of the Red Bull team a week ago to take victory on Sunday in the rain-darkened Monaco Grand Prix.
The third victory in Perez’s career came after a dubious strategic call from Ferrari cost flight player Charles Leclerc a victory in his home circuit. Although Leclerc finished the race for the first time in four attempts, he finished fourth and allowed reigning world champion Max Verstappen to increase his lead in points.
Carlos Sainz Jr. finished second for Ferrari and Verstappen was third for Red Bull. But Ferrari protested against both Perez’s victory and Verstappen’s final, claiming that Red Bull drivers failed to stay to the right of the yellow line at the exit from the pits after being stopped.
FIA stewards were considering the Ferrari protest.
Verstappen has a nine-point lead over Leclerc in the standings; Leclerc has two wins this season, Verstappen and Perez have combined for five wins, while Red Bull and Ferrari have won all seven races.
The victory on the slippery city streets of Monaco went to Verstappen’s teammate just a week after Perez was ordered to give up Verstappen’s lead during the Spanish Grand Prix. Leclerc dropped out of the race due to an engine failure and Red Bull chose to take advantage by manipulating the final to win Verstappen in Spain.
The team promised Perez that he would be allowed to compete for the victory and kept his word on Sunday.
“You dream of winning this and after your home race there is no special place to win,” Perez said after waving the Mexican flag. He is third in the standings and only six points behind Leclerc.
Red Bull team director Christian Horner patted Perez on the back as he walked to the driver after the race. Perez is in his contract year, and both Red Bull and Perez have said discussions on an extension will intensify during the summer months.
“Cheko was sensational,” Horner said. “It’s very difficult in such conditions, but we got the calls right.”
Horner joined Perez on the podium, and Perez struggled to hold back tears as he puffed out his cheeks and wiped his eyes as the Mexican anthem played. Perez is the first Mexican pilot to win Monaco.
“This is a great day for me and my country. I am very happy. I was wearing a Pedro Rodriguez helmet,” Perez said. “I’m sure he was looking down on me and I hope he would be proud. I am the only Mexican or Latin American pilot on the grid. It just shows how difficult it is for us to get into sports.
Rodriguez, a Mexican driver who won two Formula One races, died in 1971.
Verstappen celebrates with Perez, whom he considers the best teammate in his career.
“Incredible result for Cheko,” he said. – I am very happy for him.
Verstappen told Perez after the race that victory “can only help a little” in Perez’s contract negotiations.
Leclerc led from the pole and screamed in rage when he was told to make a second tire change in lap 22 – at the same time as Sainz. His engineer realized the mistake and shouted “stay out!” but it was too late, and Leclerc returned to the runway fourth.
“What are you doing?” Leclerc shouted.
After the race, he lectured to Ferrari again.
“No words, no words. We can’t do that,” he said on the radio.
“Today was a terrible disaster,” Leclerc said. “The victory was obviously in our hands. We had the performance, we had everything. I just don’t really understand the call.”
Ferrari team director Mattia Binoto admitted that the team made the wrong call to Leclerc.
“I know he is not happy. It is normal that he is not happy because we have only made mistakes. If you’re first and ultimately fourth, obviously something hasn’t worked, “Binoto said. “We should have stayed outside. We’ll see why we made that decision.”
Leclerc also won the flight a year ago, but never got started because he crashed at the end of qualifying and the car’s gearbox gave up moments before the start. In 2018 and 2019, Leclerc withdrew from the race due to damage in an accident.
The race was delayed by 70 minutes due to heavy rain and started from a moving start behind a safety car. He was then marked with a red flag in the 30th lap after Mick Schumacher’s severe accident three laps earlier cut his Haas car in two. He was unharmed.
George Russell finished fifth for Mercedes ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso’s Alpine. Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton was eighth for Mercedes _ extending his silver medal streak to eight races _ while Valteri Botas was ninth for Alfa Romeo and Sebastian Vettel 10th for Aston Martin.
“Crazy afternoon. I thought the rain would make it more exciting, but we were still struggling with our cars,” Hamilton said. “Probably one of the worst (starting the season).”
Relentless rain soaked the track 20 minutes before the planned start at 3 pm local time.
Initially, the field was cleared and a delayed formation behind the safety car was completed. But drivers got out of their cars as the rain intensified and it became clear that Sunday’s start would be postponed. They took shelter in their garages while teams used makeshift tents to protect cars.
When the rain subsided enough to start the race, Leclerc led the field with a rolling start and began to make the fastest laps.
Then came a team order that played right into the hands of Red Bull and left Leclerc desperate in Monaco.
One more time.
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